postgres 7.3.3 problem - not talking across port

I've just built postgres 7.3.3 on SUSE linux and had no unusual
messages or problems with the installation. I was previously running
7.6.2 without problems. I've left the pg_hba.conf with the default
trust statement. I ran initdb and started the postmaster without
error. I am unable to run createdb. I restarted my database with
debug level 5, and here's what it sez:

> postmaster -D /mytop/data/database -d 5 -p $PGPORT

DEBUG: postmaster: PostmasterMain: initial environ dump:
DEBUG: -----------------------------------------
... my environment is dumped. Deleted all that doesn't pertain
DEBUG: PGDATA=/mytop/data/database
DEBUG: PGHOST=virgo
DEBUG: PGPORT=5547
DEBUG: -----------------------------------------
DEBUG: FindExec: searching PATH ...
DEBUG: ValidateBinary: can't stat
"/volume29/mytop/data/database/./postgres"
DEBUG: ValidateBinary: can't stat "/mytop/bin/LINUX/postgres"
DEBUG: ValidateBinary: can't stat "/mytop/bin/postgres"
DEBUG: ValidateBinary: can't stat "/mytop/swl/bin/LINUX/postgres"
DEBUG: FindExec: found "/mytop/swl/LINUX/bin/postgres" using PATH
DEBUG: invoking IpcMemoryCreate(size=1466368)
DEBUG: FindExec: searching PATH ...
DEBUG: ValidateBinary: can't stat
"/volume29/mytop/data/database/./postmaster"
DEBUG: ValidateBinary: can't stat "/mytop/bin/LINUX/postmaster"
DEBUG: ValidateBinary: can't stat "/mytop/bin/postmaster"
DEBUG: ValidateBinary: can't stat "/mytop/swl/bin/LINUX/postmaster"
DEBUG: FindExec: found "/mytop/swl/LINUX/bin/postmaster" using PATH
LOG: database system was shut down at 2003-06-24 08:37:56 MST
LOG: checkpoint record is at 0/801A7C
LOG: redo record is at 0/801A7C; undo record is at 0/0; shutdown TRUE
LOG: next transaction id: 480; next oid: 16976
LOG: database system is ready
DEBUG: proc_exit(0)
DEBUG: shmem_exit(0)
DEBUG: exit(0)
DEBUG: reaping dead processes
DEBUG: reaping dead processes

What are the ValidateBinary messages all about? I have built and
installed postgres in one area, and the executables are soft linked to
the /mytop/swl/bin/LINUX:

> which postmaster
/mytop/swl/LINUX/bin/postmaster

So apparently the postmaster executable finds itself. But when I do a
createdb, I get:

> createdb foo
psql: could not connect to server: Connection refused
Is the server running on host virgo and accepting
TCP/IP connections on port 5547?
createdb: database creation failed

What is wrong? Any suggestions or insights would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Sarah
s_marie(at)ekno(dot)com

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